St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-10-08
THE GENERAL INVESTIGATOR

haps, might have accomplished more, no
man on earth could have given you more
faithful, devoted or Conscientious service.
THE GENERAL INVESTIGATOR
Report Concerning the Condition
of Working Women.
Lenora M. Barry, the general investi-
gator, elected at the Richmond conven-
ton to have charge of the inquiry of
the condition OF working women, makes
an interesting report, which gives a
brief capitulation of the result of her
observations. She complains that, hay
ing no legal authority, she was unable
to make as thorough Investigations in
many places as. she would
like, and was afraid to visit
many establishments unless she should
bring down the vengeance of employers
upon the heads Of employees. She recites
many instances of cruel treatment,
scanty wages and hard work. Concern
ing the women and children employed
at Paterson and the linen thread work
ers of that city she says:
There are some ], 400 or 1900 persons
employed in this industry, who were
at that time out of employment for this rea-
doffing were receiving S2.7O per week, and
asked for an increase of cents per day.
They were refused and they struck, where
upon all the other employees were locked out
ing, press called 'Paterson's peculiar
strike or unexplained phenomena
The abuse, injustice and suf'
fering which the Ewomen of this industry en-
dure from the tyranny, cruelty and slave
driving propensities of the employers is
something terrible to be allowed existence in
free America. In one branch of this indus
try women are compelled to stand on stone
moor In water the year round, most of the
time barefoot, with a spray of water from
revolving cylinder flying around constantly
against the breast; and the coolest night in
winter as well as the warmest in summer
those poor creatures must go to their homes
with water dripping from their undercloth-
ing along their path, because there could not
De space OF few moments allowed them
wherein to change their clothing A constant
supply of recruits is always on hand to take
the places of any who dare rebel against the
1ron-clad authority of those in charge The
law is evaded in this matter; but the passage
tickets on the Inman steamship line, that are
advanced at from So to 81 more than they
actually cost to the friends of those employed
here or in the factory of this firm in Belfast,
Ireland, and which are paid for after they
commence work for the firm on this side of
the ocean in 81 installments, at their semi
monthly payments, furnish good grounds for
test case in the near future. Add to this
the most meager wages, crowded. badly ven
tllated rooms, want of proper sanitary condi-
tlonS and many other cruelties, and fair
minded public can form some solution Of the
'uneXplalnable phenomena"
New York, she says, is the center of
unpaid labor:
Here the state law, while prohibiting chill
dren under q certain age from working in
factories, etc., seems powerless to reach the
numbers OF children from four to six and
eight years of age who ply the needle as in
dustrlously the twelve and fourteen hours of
II nfn
whom they assist to earn their coarse and
scanty meal. The fact of infant labor is also
noticeable in the tobacco industry; and the
organization which claims to control the
manufacturing of this weed would find a
subject more worthy of their time and atten-
ton that many other topics which seem to
occupy their thoughts
Pittsburg would be a good place for a
visit by those who are continually talk
ing about ''WOman's sphere" where
women work in the manufacture of
barbed wire. nails, etc. AT Bellaire
women worked in glass factories and
tin shops. Mary Hanafin, president of
the committee ON woman's work. ap-
ponds the following report:
The committee on Women's work having
completed their first year, I respectfully
make you the following report: There were
so many existing abuses from which working
women were suffering that we hardly knew
where to begin, but think, when you read
the report of the general investigator YOU
will be able to decide whether we have full
filled the object for which we were organ
lied, and 1 also think you will agree with me
that there is great need for general inveSti-
gator. 1t was with some misgivings we began
our work, for there was no definite plan laid
out by the general assembly, and the fear of
oyerstepplng our authority was ever before
us. 1t has been fully demonstrated to me by
the appeals have received from women
throughout the country that the question of
justice to working women is one that must be
met and that tits fitting for women to assistin
bringing about the reform. but to accom-
plish this we must have your hearty cooper
alton to aid US in placing the committee on
such basis as will make it a boon to women
who need protection. Having given some
time and a great deal of thought to the cues
ton of wages paid to workingwomen, find
that employers who pay low salaries are very
near-slghted, as there is not enough incentive
offered to expect intelligence and good work,
whereas, in the exceptional cases where
women are given the same inducements as
men, they have not only been benefited them
selves but their employers have made good
investment In conclusion | will add that
this is not small undertaking. and with the
hope that we will receive the advice and as
sistance of all good knights of Labor, l am,
fraternally yours, MARY HANAFIN
President of Committee on Woman's Work
In the afternoon the appointment was
made of eight committees, five standing
and three special. A committee on dis
tribution was also appointed, to whom
will be referred all documents, includ-
ing the reports of officers and boards.
and then refer them to appropriate COM
mittees. A partial report was made by
the committee on conspiracy laws which
will be given out for publication. The
reading of the report of the general CO.
operative board, the important portions
of which have heretofore appeared
in the GLOBE was then listened to. 1t
contains answers to circular of inquiry
sent out asking for information concern
ing the progress of social, productive,
farming and distributive cooperation.
Eight thousand of these circulars were sent
out, and answers have been received from
between 1000 and 5000 of the persons ad-
dressed. There is but one tone in these re-
plies-that of entire satisfaction that the
principle is the correct one. Stress is laid in
many cases, in the answers to the last ques-
ton, on the moral effect of the co operative
enterprises in intoxicating a spirit of frater-
nifty and mutual good will. There are no
failures reported, and steady growth is
almost without exception noted.
From the multitudinous reports received
it will be worth while to cite few examples
The Trenton, n, j., cooperative store shows
a remarkable growth. On Jan. /, 1856, its
membership was 1913. AT the end of the year
it was 400. There is scarcely store in any
plies so many families. The paid up capital
of the concern Jan. l, 1886, was S2,430. 81.
Jan. 1. 1887. it was $5,7S7.12. The prem
chased for $4,000 The profits for the eight
months preceding Jan. 1, 1856, were
SI,4737O. During the year 1886 the profits
were S7,O16.73. The Toronto, Cam, Central
Cooperative society reports sales for the half
year ending June 80, 1885. to have been
$12,567, and for the previous half year SIO,-
1855. The number of members Jan. 1,
1885, was 295. AT the end of the year there
were 800. The Michigan City, Ind. Coop
erotive Reed Chair company issues stock
only to members of the X. of L. By
its constitution one-third of the profits